[NAPOLEONIC WARS.]

Manuscript journal of a British officer serving in the Low Countries from 1 January 1814 to 17 June 1815.

Small 4to (225 x 185 mm), pp. [86] (most versos blank); original sheep notebook with red morocco label on front and ‘Waterloo’ written in ink underneath; extremities rubbed. ‘The detachment destined for foreign service which I was ordered to accompany marched out of town this morning, having received three days leave of absence I joined it at Canterbury on Tuesday morning and on Wednesday we left that town for Deal where we found the Dictator a 64 gun ship ready to convey us to Holland . . . ’.A manuscript journal kept by an officer in the Guards during his time in Holland from before Napoleon’s first surrender and exile at Elba, to his return and the Hundred Days. It was probably a diary kept and written in the field, and it records contemporary reactions to Napoleon’s first capitulation, escape from Elba, and the renewed conflict between the Allies and France, as well as a day to day account of military life in Holland during the Napoleonic wars, and interesting descriptions of various Dutch towns, such as Antwerp where the author describes visits to the ‘marché ou Grande Place’, the ‘salle d’anatomie’, and the botanical gardens. The author, whose fate is unknown but whose last entry is on 17 June, the day before the battle of Waterloo, describes, in the run up to that action, the clashes at Charleroi, Quatres Bras and Ligny, ending with this description of the duke of Wellington’s movements:‘Our noble Duke could no longer hesitate as to what steps he should [take]. A corresponding retreat in the present instance was unavoidably necessary and the position of Waterloo was chosen by our brave commander by which means he completely covered Brussels and kept up his communication with Prince Blucher. Now all the army with the exception of the cavalry and the house artillery which were destined to cover the retreat began to march in column along this main road which passes through the village of Genappe in order to occupy the different parts of the position marked out for the respecting divisions. The enemy must undoubtedly have perceived our retreat although they did not at first attempt to pursue us, which indeed surprized us as they might have molested & harassed us much in our retreat, but it appears they only wished for the arrival of their cavalry which had been engaged the preceding day with their right wing at Ligny’.The author, despite identifying himself as an officer in the Foot Guards, is anonymous. In a rough list on the inside back cover he names Captains Talbot, Drummond and Hornby, and Lieutenants Wedgewood, Northmore, Hamilton and Baird, but their regiment is not mentioned. It is perhaps possible that he was killed at Waterloo which would explain his journal’s abrupt ending on 17 June.

• GBP 6,000.00 > other currencies
• ordernr.: T2207

• bookseller: Bernard Quaritch Ltd. (GREAT BRITAIN)